Not applicable.
The present invention relates to identification bracelets and more particularly to a disposable bracelet having an embedded electronic memory and a reusable transceiver which is releasably attachable to the bracelet for receiving data from a remote source to be stored in the memory and transmitting data stored in the memory to a remote receiver.
Throughout time accurate patient identification has been a paramount concern in administering medication to, and performing medical procedures on, a patient. Years ago patient identification was relatively simple as local doctors would provide all types of medical care for essentially every person within a small community and knew each patient personally.
However, in today""s medical environment, patient identification is a much more arduous task for many reasons. First, literally hundreds of patients are examined and treated on a daily basis in large modern medical facilities, each doctor or nurse interacting with as many as twenty or more patients within a single day. With such high traffic unaided positive patient identification is nearly impossible for any doctor or nurse.
Second, many medical facilities are expansive including specialized departments which are spread out throughout the facility, many departments being on different floors or even in different buildings. For example, diagnostic examination, imaging, surgery, recovery, etc., areas are all usually separate and staffed by different personnel. As a patient is moved from one department to another, even if personnel within one department can visually identify a patient, personnel in another department may not be able to identify the patient.
Third, many patients are admitted into a medical facility for a period which is longer than a single shift. Where facility personnel changes during a patient""s stay, unaided patient identification would be nearly impossible.
Fourth, in many cases medical personnel cannot rely on a patient for correct identification. Some patients might be experiencing severe trauma, be under the influence of medication or be asleep, thereby making positive identification verification impossible.
For years the standard for patient identification has been to place an identification bracelet on each patient""s wrist. One bracelet includes a clear plastic sleeve having first and second ends and a paper strip. Information including a patient""s name, an identification number and perhaps primary appearance characteristics (e.g. eye color, hair color, height, weight, etc.), are printed on a viewing surface of the strip. The strip is inserted in the sleeve with the viewing surface observable through the sleeve. The two ends of the sleeve are integrally joined using a mechanical fastener thereby forming a ring around the patient""s wrist. These bracelets are designed to be removed only by cutting so that once a bracelet is placed on a patient, the bracelet cannot mistakenly be placed on another patient. In addition, these bracelets are inexpensive enough that they are disposable.
While these bracelets are helpful, often it is difficult to read information from the paper strips within the sleeves as the sleeves often hinder viewing, the paper strips slide inside the sleeve and can even become folded or crimped within the sleeve.
Recently, new plastic materials and new printing methods have been developed which enable printing directly on plastic surfaces. In addition, new adhesives have been developed which are used to fasten bracelet ends together. This new technology has facilitated single piece bracelets wherein identification material is printed directly on a viewing surface of a plastic strap and the strap is secured around a patient""s wrist using an adhesive.
A patient""s bracelet is used by all medical facility personnel to identify a patient. Prior to administering a medication a nurse or doctor reads the patient""s name from the bracelet and compares the patient""s name with the name of the patient for whom the medication was dispensed. The patient""s name is usually printed either on a medication order or on a paper enclosed with the medication in a container or bag.
In addition, prior to performing any medical or diagnostic procedure, facility personnel also use the bracelet to identify a patient. For example, a person recording an electrocardiogram (EKG) to be sent to a computerized storage system will often be instructed to provide, via a keyboard, a patient""s name and identification number from the bracelet. Both the name and number are often requested as a misspelling of the name is a fairly common mistake and the identification number provides redundant identification.
For the purpose of this explanation, printed plastic bracelets will be described as printed bracelets. While printed bracelets have improved identification, printed bracelets have a number of important shortcomings. First, only a small amount of information can be printed on a bracelet. In this regard, unless a person viewing identification information has a medical history file in his/her possession, the person cannot identify immediate medical status of a patient (e.g. medication to be administered, time to administer medication, recent medical procedures, symptoms, etc.).
Second, information on a plastic bracelet cannot automatically be transferred to electronic instrumentation such as an EKG machine, an imaging machine, etc. where a medical instrument requires patient information, the information must be manually provided by facility personnel.
Third, each time a patient must be identified, the doctor, nurse or orderly identifying the patient must pick up the patient""s wrist and rotate the wrist or the bracelet to a position wherein the identification information is observable. While this simple procedure is not in and of itself difficult for a person to perform or extremely bothersome to a patient; when the procedure must be performed a dozen or more times each day, the cumulative effect can be both bothersome to the patient and burdensome to the person who has to identify the patient.
Fourth, once information has been printed on the bracelet, the information cannot be changed and additional information cannot be added. This may not be important during short stays at a medical facility because printed information likely will not change appreciably over a short period. However, during a long stay at a facility, some printed information, in particular primary appearance characteristics (e.g. weight, etc.), may change and therefore should be updated.
One way in which to transfer identifying information from a bracelet to a medical instrument is to provide identifying information in bar code form. Bar codes, however, also have short-comings. While a bar code provides a machine readable format, only a limited amount of information can be represented by a bar code. This is because bar codes typically require as much space per represented character than the conventional alphabet. While smaller codes are possible, smaller codes are extremely difficult to read. In addition, practically, only a certain length of bar code is possible given the natural curve of a patient""s wrist and the requirement that the code be essentially flat during scanning. In addition, like conventional printing, bar codes cannot be modified and therefore bracelet information cannot be modified after a bar is printed. Because a bar code cannot be read unless it is essentially flat, a bar code, to a greater extent than conventional print, requires special placement of a patient""s wrist to read represented information. Furthermore, non-contact bar code reading devices are relatively expensive and often it takes several attempts to read a code accurately.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,805 describes an identification device including a memory xe2x80x9cbuttonxe2x80x9d or chip which may be embedded within a bracelet, the bracelet worn by a patient. Identification information is electronically stored in the chip and can be accessed by use of a hand held instrument, preferably by simply touching the chip with a probe or the like. In addition to the electronically stored information, basic patient information can be printed on the bracelet for visual observation by a person. Preferably, the chip has a robust construction so that it is removable from the bracelet without being damaged and is then erasable, sterilizable and reusable to identify another patient. However, despite the chips robust construction, this patent contemplates that the chip might be disposable after a single use. Chip disposal is preferred over reuse as reuse might be perceived as unsanitary and may therefore be objectionable. This is particularly true where a patient has a communicable disease or expires while wearing a bracelet. For the purposes of this explanation, a bracelet including a simple memory chip will be referred to herein as a memory chip bracelet.
Memory chip bracelets overcome many of the problems associated with printed bracelets. For example, assuming a well designed memory chip, memory chip bracelets facilitate storage of a relatively large amount of information. In addition, memory chip bracelets facilitate modification of stored information. Moreover, memory chip bracelets facilitate transfer of information from the chip by simply touching the chip via a probe.
Unfortunately, memory chip bracelets also have several shortcomings. First, as with printed bracelets, identifying a patient wearing a memory chip bracelet still requires a doctor, nurse or orderly to position the chip in some orientation where good chip contact can be made. Because a memory chip includes a relatively large amount of information, in many cases the chip will be used more often than printed identification information to access needed information. For example, with a printed bracelet, the bracelet is used only to identify a patient and other information about the patient is usually accessed from some other source (e.g. a computer or a patient file).
With a memory chip bracelet, medicine administration history, treatment history, symptoms, diagnostic history, etc., may all be stored on the chip. Upon entry into a patient""s room, the chip may be used once for identification and a second time for medicine or treatment history or to retrieve some other information. The chip may be used one or more additional times to access other information. Repeated chip readings are burdensome.
Second, where memory chips are reusable, despite sterilization there could still be a perception of unsanitary conditions rendering reusable chips objectionable.
Third, where memory chips are reusable, there is a possibility that chip information might not be erased or may only be partially erased prior to being used to identify another patient. Such a mistake could lead to erroneous identification and ultimately to incorrect treatment or diagnosis.
Fourth, chip removal, erasing, sanitizing, reinsertion into a new bracelet and rewriting to identify another patient is a burdensome and relatively expensive procedure, the cost and bother of which probably is not justifiable during all medical facility visits. For example, a ten minute visit probably would not justify such a costly and time consuming procedure.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,805 patent also contemplates a bracelet wherein the chip includes an integral antenna for transmitting information to a hand held device. The preferred transmitter is a radio frequency transmitter wherein an external coil generates a field which provides energy to the chip within the field for transmitting information to the hand held device. Another chip embodiment might include a transmitter and a separate power source (e.g. a battery) providing power to the transmitter for transmitting information. For the purposes of this explanation, bracelets including a transmitter embedded in a chip will be referred to as transmitting bracelets.
Transmitting bracelets eliminate the need for reorienting a bracelet or a patients arm to access information from a chip. However, even transmitting bracelets have several shortcomings. First, while a memory on a chip may be inexpensive, transmitting circuitry on a chip increases chip costs appreciably. While bracelet costs may be defrayed by reusing the transmitting chip as indicated above, even after sterilization, reuse might be perceived as unsanitary and might therefore be objectionable. For these reasons, relatively expensive transmitting bracelets may only be justifiable in instances where a patient is admitted for an extended period and printed bracelets may be more suitable under other circumstances.
Second, as with memory chip bracelets, where a transmitting chip is reused, there is always the danger that a portion of the memory might not be erased prior to rewriting and patient identification or information could be confused.
Third, if a bracelet is designed properly, it is difficult to remove a chip from a bracelet. In patient identification, it is important that a chip be attached to the bracelet so that it cannot inadvertently be removed, dislodged or replaced. If a chip is to be reused, the chip has to be removed despite integral attachment. For this reason, a chip must be securely lodged within and integral with the bracelet to prohibit inadvertent removal. Integral attachment makes removal difficult at best and may require special tools (as recognized in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,805 patent), further increasing identification system costs.
Fourth, where a chip has to be removed from a bracelet for sterilization, the chip could be damaged or even destroyed during removal, rendering the chip useless. While damaged memory chips might be inexpensive and therefore disposable, damaged transmitting chips represent appreciable cost.
Fifth, in the alternative, instead of removing a chip from a bracelet, the entire chip and bracelet could be sterilized and the chip erased for reuse. It is even more likely, however, that this option would be perceived as unsanitary. In addition, while the chip could be erased and rewritten, printed identification information on the bracelet could not be easily erased and reprinted.
Sixth, a transmitting chip may be damaged in certain environments. For example, such a chip might not be waterproof and therefore would be damaged during bathing. In addition, a transmitter chip may be susceptible to magnetic or electric fields (e.g. MRI) within a medical environment. Similarly, a transmitter chip might give off a field of its own which could interfere with diagnostic or treatment fields.
Seventh, during extended hospitalization periods, a chip battery might need to be replaced. Replacing a battery while a bracelet is attached to a patient would be difficult at best.
When bathing, within a treatment or diagnostic energy field, or to replace a battery, a bracelet could be removed. However, removal is undesirable because a removed bracelet could be confused with another bracelet. In addition, because bracelets are constructed so that they cannot be easily removed, usually a bracelet would have to be destroyed to be removed.
Moreover, it is contemplated that during a stay at a medical facility, only rarely is it necessary to remove a patient""s identification bracelet and therefore, if removed, typically removal is inadvertent and unintended. Currently no system is known for indicating when a medical bracelet is inadvertently removed despite the need for patient identification at all times.
Eighth, a bracelet which includes a transmitter assembly is often relatively bulky. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,290 which describes one wrist band transmitting device. Unfortunately, while a bulky device may not be objectionable to a relatively healthy and strong patient, many patients are relatively unhealthy and relatively weak. This is particularly true in the case of patients who remain in a facility for a long duration. Other generally weak facility occupants include infants and small children. For these patient types a bulky transmitter assembly is uncomfortable and generally objectionable.
For all of the reasons discussed above, it would be advantageous to have a patient identification mechanism which is inexpensive, disposable, rewritable, permanent during a patient""s stay at a medical facility and accessible without reorienting a patient or the bracelet.
In one embodiment the present invention includes an identification bracelet which includes a plastic strap having first and second ends, an electronic memory device (e.g. a silicon chip), a securing means for securing the first and second ends together around a patient""s wrist and a transponder. The memory device is integrally embedded in the strap and cannot be removed from the strap without destroying the device. The transponder includes circuitry which can receive information from and transmit information to remote hand held electronic devices or the like. The transponder is releasably attachable to the bracelet adjacent the memory device. When attached to the bracelet, the transponder makes contact with the memory device and can receive information from, and provide information to, the memory device.
The bracelet, including memory device, is inexpensive and completely disposable. The transponder is relatively expensive. However, the cost of the transponder is defrayed because the transponder can be sterilized and reused. A processor for use with the transponder can either be a portion of the transponder assembly and hence reusable or can be integrally secured to the strap and hence disposable along with the inexpensive memory device.
One object of the invention is to provide an identification mechanism which can provide a large amount of information about a patient. To this end, in addition to a patient""s name and identification number and primary appearance characteristics, the memory device of the present invention can store a patient""s complete medical history if desired.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system for identifying patient""s which allows remote gathering of information from a patient. A related object is to allow patient identification without physically touching a patient to reorient an identification bracelet or a patient""s arm. With the transponder linked to the memory device, the transponder can access memory information and transmit the information to a remote electronic gathering device.
In addition to having an embedded memory device, the strap may also include a viewing surface on which basic identification information including name, identification number, etc., is printed.
One other object is to provide a single identification system which can be used to identify all patient""s in a medical facility. When a patient first enters a hospital, the patient can be provided with a bracelet including a viewing surface and a memory device. Basic information can be printed on the viewing surface while basic information and other more detailed information (if available) can be written to the memory device. If the patient does not remain in the hospital for a long time, a transponder is never attached to the bracelet. During the patient""s short stay, the printed information alone is used for identification. When the patient leaves the hospital or shortly thereafter, the bracelet can be removed and discarded.
However, if the patient remains in the hospital for an extended period or will be undergoing extensive review or treatment during a short period, a transponder can be attached to the bracelet and linked to the memory device so that information thereon can be transmitted and altered to reflect recent medical history. Thus, the releasably securable transponder may or may not be utilized, depending on the circumstances.
Another object is to meet the aforementioned objects yet provide a relatively inexpensive identification system. To this end, when a patient""s stay in a hospital is short, the identification bracelet comprises only the plastic strap and the embedded chip. The expensive transponder circuitry is not necessary. In addition, to reduce costs, where a transponder is used and prior to a patient leaving a hospital, the relatively expensive transponder can be removed and sterilized. The inexpensive bracelet and memory device can be discarded. Thus, in many cases the relatively expensive transponder is not needed and, even where a transponder is required, the transponder can be sterilized and reused.
Another object of the invention is to provide an identification system wherein memory is never reused so that erasing and rewriting errors never occur. To this end, no matter what, after a memory device is used to identify one patient, the same memory device is never reused to identify a second patient.
In one embodiment the memory includes both a read only memory (ROM), which can be written to once and then only read, and a random access memory (RAM) which can be written to, erased and rewritten to several times. In this case, it is contemplated that basic identification information like a name and an identification number will be written to the ROM once and thereafter cannot be altered. Other information will be written to the RAM and can later be altered as treatment, conditions, or diagnosis changes. For example, information stored in the RAM can be changed to reflect a patient""s current weight should weight change during a long hospital stay or to reflect a procedure to be performed on the patient.
Yet another object is to provide an identification device wherein basic information is unalterable but other information could be altered to reflect changes in treatment, diagnosis, etc. The RAM/ROM mix of memory facilitates this object.
Yet another object is to record the time when the transponder is removed from the bracelet. This can be done by recording the time to memory every minute, therefore the last recorded time is within 1 minute of the time the transponder was removed. The time of removing the transponder can also be recorded by the transponder detecting via a pressure switch or a conductive path being opened that it is being removed from the bracelet and then writing the time to the memory prior to the transponder being completely removed.
In another embodiment a conductive loop is provided in a strap which when the strap forms a loop around a patient""s wrist (or some other object), forms a short or closed circuit about the wrist such that the strap cannot be broken or cut without opening the short circuit. The processor is linked to the conductive loop to sense when the circuit is opened. When the circuit is opened the processor generates an alarm signal. Preferably, the alarm signal either causes an alarm indicator (e.g. an audible alarm) which is linked to the processor to indicate an open circuit or is transmitted via the transmitter to a receiver proximate the patient""s location which in turn notifies an attending physician (e.g. desk nurse or the like) that the strap has been cut. The preferred system includes the latter and is undetectable by the patient so as not to startle the patient.
Similarly, preferably, when a transmitter assembly is removed from the strap inadvertently, the processor generates an alarm signal to indicate inadvertent removal. On one hand, the processor may be part of a transponder assembly, which includes an alarm indicator (e.g. audible alarm) for indicating removal. In the alternative, when the processor generates an alarm signal, the transponder may transmit an alarm signal to an external receiver device in the patient""s vicinity to notify an attending physician. On the other hand, the processor may be secured to the strap. In yet another embodiment, the processor may routinely and periodically generate an identification signal which is provided to a monitoring device, when the conductor is cut or the transmitter assembly is removed the identification signal is not provided, thus indicating a cut or removal.
In each embodiment where inadvertent strap cutting and transponder removal cause the processor to generate an alarm signal, a deactivation device may be provided to deactivate the processor so that the processor does not generate an alarm signal when the strap is cut or when the transponder is removed.
Thus, another object of the invention is to provide an identification device for which inadvertent removal is sensed. The conductive member and processor together provide such a system.
In yet another embodiment, an indicator is linked to the processor for indicating when a processor is active. Thus, when a physician uses a handheld device (HHD) to communicate with an identification bracelet processor, the processor which receives a query from the HHD indicates reception via the indicator and may indicate other activity (e.g. processing or transmission in a similar fashion).
Thus, one other object is to enable a physician to ensure that even where two or more identification bracelets are proximate an HHD, the physician is receiving data from an intended device. Where more than one identification device is proximate an HHD and the HHD is used to query one of the devices, a device receiving a query and processing to respond thereto indicates processing via the indicator (e.g., audible or visual indicator). The physician can identify the responding device via the signal. Where an unintended device or more than one device responds, the physician can break communication and then reinterrogate after taking steps to ensure that the intended device responds (e.g. repositioning the HHD).
The invention is also useable to provide a secure facility or as part of a security system. For example, medical facilities generally have recognized the need for systems to ensure that infants and children are not abducted. With the present invention and, in particular, the embodiments including a strap, an inventive device can be secured to an infant/child which, when tampered with, indicates tampering via an alarm signal of some type (e.g., an audible or visual indication, indication at a nurses station, etc.)
In addition, in the context of a security system, the inventive device may indicate device tampering in any of several different ways. For example, the device may only be able to transmit an identification signal when the device has not been tampered with. In this case, a monitoring system tracks an identification signal from the device and is programmed to expect an identification signal periodically from the device. When an expected signal is not received, the system is programmed to assume tampering and indicates tampering when a signal is not received. Thus, absence of an expected signal is considered a signal for the purposes of the present invention. In the alternative, the device may only generate an identifier signal when tampered with.
In another embodiment of the invention the identification bracelet is comprised of a strap that does not have the embedded memory chip. In this embodiment a reusable transponder is attached to the bracelet, the transponder now including the memory chip to store information about the patient. The transponder senses when it is attached to the strap by a sensor. The sensor may include a first sensor coupled to the transponder and a second sensor coupled to the strap or any other base member to which the transponder is attached. The sensor may be a button, conductive circuit, optical circuit, magnetic sensor or any other sensing device known in the electronic arts. The memory in the transponder is programmed with patient information either before or after it is attached to the strap. Once attached the transponder monitors the sensor to determine if it is still attached to the strap. As long as it is attached to the strap the transponder may provide the patient information to other devices and may receive additional information to be stored in the memory. If the transponder is removed from the strap the transponder can perform one of several functions. In one case the transponder can automatically erase the information stored in the memory so that the transponder can be safely attached to the strap of another patient and reprogrammed with information for that patient. The process of erasing the memory can be performed when the transponder is attached to the strap of another patient, so information about the previous patient is maintained until the transponder is reused. In another case the transponder may retain whatever information is in the memory, but cannot be programmed with new information for another patient until the previous patient""s information has been transferred to a separate computer system. In this case the transponder will also disable any attempt to read its contents until a special code is received. Similarly should the transponder include a visual display, the display will no longer display patient information after removal from the strap. This ensures that patient information for one patient cannot be used to identify another patient. In another case it can present an alarm, indicating the improper removal of the transponder unless the transponder has received a special code to disable such an alarm. In another case the transponder is attached to the strap in a tamper resistant manner, so that it can only be removed by noticeably damaging the strap or the transducer. In a further case the transponder can record the time of removal in the memory.
In another embodiment of the invention the bracelet is comprised of a strap with an integral transponder. The transponder includes a memory device to store patient information. In this embodiment the transponder will now include a sensor to detect that the strap continues to be attached to the patient. If the strap is no longer attached to the patient one of several different functions occur, the several different functions including: erasing the memory, prohibiting reprogramming and access to the memory until a special code is received and the information in the memory is transferred to another computer, activating an alarm, etc. Alternatively, the bracelet can be attached so that it cannot be unnoticeably removed.
In another embodiment of the above invention the transponder can include a transducer to detect and record to the memory parameters regarding the patient wearing the transponder or the patient""s environment. For example if the strap is firmly attached to the patient the transducer can detect the patient""s heart rate by detecting mechanical or acoustic movement of blood through an artery and then recording the heart rate to the memory. Alternately an auxiliary medical device can be attached to the transducer to provide measurements about parameters regarding the patient or their environment. For example a non-invasive blood pressure device can measure the patient""s blood pressure and transfer the measurement to the transponder via a cable or wireless transmission to be recorded in the memory.
In another embodiment of the invention the bracelet also comprises a strap with a memory chip permanently attached to it. To the strap may be attached a sensing transducer that can sense patient parameters (e.g. heart rate, pulse oximetry) for the patient to which the strap is attached or about the environment (e.g. temperature) of the patient and write them to the memory. The sensing transducer can include a remote sensor that is connected to the strap making contact with the memory. The sensing transducer need not include a transmitter to transmit the contents of the memory chip to a remote electronic gathering device as previously described. The memory can be linked to a conductive loop or conductive member in the strap as previously described so that removing the bracelet from the patient causes the memory to no longer function. This embodiment allows for the recording of parameters in a manner such that the stored parameter readings can only be associated with the patient and no other. The stored parameter readings in the memory chip can be read by removing the transducer and placing a reading device in contact with the electrical contacts of the memory chip or the transducer can include a transmitter that can send the parameter readings to a remote data gathering device. Preferably, the parameter readings include the time they were recorded.
In another embodiment of the invention the transponder is equipped to transfer information to and receive information from other devices via personal area network wireless (PAN) communications. A PAN uses low power capacitive coupling to transfer information from a device closely associated with the patient""s body, but not necessarily touching the skin, such as the bracelets described above. Using PAN technology, the patient information can be transferred to medical devices merely by placing a transducer near the body or by placing an electrode or transducer in contact with the body. The biomedical devices are designed to allow patient information in the form of PAN signals to be received and processed. A significant advantage of this method of communicating is that these medical devices do not need an auxiliary reading device to receive the patient information. Another advantage is that the biomedical devices can automatically detect when they are being used on a new patient, as the received patient information will immediately differ from the previously received information.
The present invention also includes an electronic information apparatus for use with an object data device that stores information related to an object. In this regard, the invention includes an apparatus comprising a base member having a connector for attaching the identification apparatus to the object and a processor assembly including a housing linkable to the base member, a memory for storing information, a data reader for reading information from an object data device, and a processor linked to the memory and to the reader for receiving information from the reader and storing the information in the memory. Preferably, the object data device is a data card including an interface segment, and the reader is capable of reading data via the interface segment. The interface segment may be a magnetic strip, although other embodiments are contemplated including electronic contacts. To help align a magnetic strip with the reader, a xe2x80x9cpass-throughxe2x80x9d slot may be provided on the processor assembly housing which, when a card is passed therethrough, automatically aligns the interface segment with the reader. All of the security functions described above are applicable to this concept.
The present invention also includes a content-identifying containment apparatus. The containment apparatus comprises a vessel forming a container volume having an opening, a closure member for closing the opening, a base member affixed to one of the vessel and the closure member having at least one latching device, a memory for storing information, a processor assembly having a housing including a second latching device configured so as to be receivable by the first latching device to secure the processing assembly to the base member and a processor linked to the memory for processing container control information, the processor assembly, vessel, closure member and base member each being apparatus components. The apparatus further includes a latch linked to one of the apparatus components. When the housing is attached to the base member, the latch is positioned with respect to the vessel so as to restrain the closure member when in a locked position and to allow the closure member to be moved when in an unlocked position. When the housing is attached to the base member, the processor is linked to the latch for controlling the latch. The memory may either be integral with the base member or integral with the processor assembly. Preferably, the latch is a solenoid.
While various apparatus are described above, the invention also contemplates a plurality of different methods to be used with the apparatus above and to be used with other types of apparatus which can accomplish similar functions.
These and other objects, advantages and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown an embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention and reference is made therefor, to the claims herein for interpreting the scope of the invention.